


Outlaws of Love

by JackyJango



Category: X-Men (Alternate Timeline Movies), X-Men - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Still Have Powers, Attempt at Humor, Attempt is the key word here, Charles Xavier has a Ph.D in Adorable, Erik Logic Is The Best Logic, Erik is a Sweetheart, Established Relationship, M/M, Married Couple, or are they?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-22
Updated: 2018-09-22
Packaged: 2019-07-15 12:57:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,576
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16063631
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JackyJango/pseuds/JackyJango
Summary: Written for the Prompt: "we had a maybe-fake-maybe-not marriage 26 years ago and i just realized that we never bothered to check if it was legally binding"





	Outlaws of Love

**Author's Note:**

  * Translation into 中文 available: [爱的法外之徒 | Outlaws of Love](https://archiveofourown.org/works/16405349) by [Amaranth42](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Amaranth42/pseuds/Amaranth42)



> Well, I’m not the only one to be blamed for this. gerec did say: ‘someone cherik this’
> 
> Posted on Tumblr **[here](https://jackyjango.tumblr.com/post/177524088208/im-not-the-only-one-to-be-blamed-for-this-gerec) ******

          It's a lazy Tuesday afternoon in the Manson. Storm and Jubilee had volunteered to take the younger ones on a trip to the greenhouse across the lawn, leaving Hank, Sean, Alex and Raven to enjoy a quiet lunch in the kitchen.

Raven sighs when the serene silence is broken by the echoes of her brother's voice from down the hall.

'No, don't talk to me…’ Charles is scolding Erik as he rolls into the open kitchen, and Erik is trailing behind Charles like a lost puppy-- no, a frustrated puppy-- hissing out a mix of curses and 'will you just listen to me’s.

‘How are you guys back so early?’ Raven asks. It's probably for the best to leave out the 'from your physical checkup’ from the end of her sentence, Raven decides. There's absolutely no need to bring up the fact that they’re all growing long in the tooth in casual conversation. Besides, it's Erik's turn today, it'll be hers tomorrow.

Her words, however, seem to pull them out of their private bubble. Charles and Erik turn towards them. Their wide eyes and baffled expressions confirm that they hadn't realised that they had company-- just like every other time, then.

'What?’ Charles asks, confused.

‘How are you guys back so early?’ Raven repeats her question, and when she still doesn't get a response: ‘You guys left for Erik's first physical checkup… because he was complaining of chest pains… Any of that ring a bell?’

Charles squares his shoulders and subjects Erik to a death glare. 'Yes, Erik. Why don't you explain to Raven why we’re back this early.’

'Oops…’ Sean whispers next to her.

Erik looks at Charles, and when the strength of the Telepath’s glare doesn't abate, he turns to the rest of them. He shrugs defensively. ‘Well, it turns out that Charles’ insurance doesn't automatically apply to me.’

‘How's that possible?’ Hank asks, nose scrunched, ‘As Charles’ husband, you should be covered by default.’

Now Charles crosses his arms over his chest, 'Erik, darling,’ he says, words dripping with sarcasm, 'Why don't you tell them why, even as my _husband,_ you're not covered under my health insurance scheme.’

Erik, too, folds his arms across his chest mirroring Charles’ posture, and in a single breath, says, ‘May be because our marriage might have turned out to be a not-marriage and maybe because we never checked if it ever was legally binding all these years.’

It takes a minute for Erik's words to settle into the room and its occupants.

It might have been twenty-six years ago, but Raven remembers the day like it was yesterday. Remembers her then twenty-three-year-old brother returning from his humanitarian trip to Israel with a ring on his finger and a Nazi hunter by his side. ‘Erik proposed to me on the ship on our way back,’ he had said all doe-eyed, ‘and we got the Captain to marry us! Isn't that romantic, Raven?’

Raven had been mad at him for weeks. Firstly, he was too young to be getting married.

Secondly, what was he thinking getting married to someone whom he had met on a bloody trip? And that too someone as scary as Erik. Most importantly, Raven hadn't been on the Caspertina to witness her own brother’s wedding. Of course, she had the right to be pissed.

‘-contrary to what's shown in the movies, it's not true. A wedding officiated by the Captain of a ship is not legally binding in all countries,’ Hank is saying when Raven’s thoughts stray back into the present.

Trust Hank to know the laws, amendments and constitutions of all the countries.

Charles had been so blissfully happy and so madly in love then, that, of course, he hadn't bothered to check if the marriage would hold against the law.

'Alright. Let's assume for a moment that the two of you aren't legally married, and therefore Charles’ insurance won't cover you,' Alex reasons turning his chair to face Erik. ‘But what about your own insurance?’

'I don't have one,’ Erik shrugs.

'How don't you have one? That's the first thing the Professor got us done when we came here,’ Sean questions.

'About that…’ Erik trails off.

'About that.’ Charles groans.

'About that?’ Raven raises her brows in question.

'Maybe because I may or may not have a valid visa.’ Erik shakes his head, his expression so quotidian that he might as well be telling them the day's dinner menu.

Charles winces. Sean opens and closes his mouth like a fish out of water. Hank sighs loudly.

'You don't have a valid visa!?’ Alex asks, ‘Dude, that makes you an-’

'-illegal immigrant,’ Sean finishes.

'How the hell did you survive this long, then?’ Alex asks, quietly impressed.

'By living dangerously as an outlaw,’ Erik replies, baring all his teeth, like he's bloody proud of it.

Alex wolf whistles. 'I gotta admit man, that’s pretty bad a-’ on being subjected to a withering glare from Charles, clears his throat and amends '-not cool at all. Not at al-’

'Wait a minute!’ Sean interrupts triumphantly, like he’s made an earth stopping discovery, ‘I’ve seen your driving licence. They don't hand those out without a visa.’

'But have you verified if it's real?’ Erik deadpans.

'Fuck!’ Sean squeaks. ‘I’ve been living with an illegal immigrant _and_ a felon for twenty years. Will I go to Prison for it?’ He turns towards Raven with fear in his eyes. 'I’m not going to Prison, am I?’

‘Nobody's going to Prison.’ Charles says firmly, putting an end to Sean’s fretting. ‘I'll find a way to sort this all out. Sort out our fake marriage-’

Erik's loud groan cuts Charles short. ‘Stop saying that, would you?’

'Saying what? That our marriage is a fake? Not saying it doesn't change the fact that it is.’

'No, it isn't!’ Erik snaps. ‘To me it isn't’ His deep voice reverberates throughout the silent kitchen.

They both stare at each other for a long time, no doubt hosting a furious telepathic debate between themselves. Finally, Erik deflates. The long sigh that leaves his body drags the expanse of his shoulders along with it. He kneels down before Charles and takes his hands. ‘I'm sorry for not saying anything earlier, Charles. A situation hadn't arose before. But a marriage certificate is just a piece of paper. How does it matter what it says about us? When I call you my better half, it's not because a certificate gives me the right to do so, but because you are, in every sense of the phrase, my better half. What makes a marriage is this-’ He waves a hand between the two of them. 'The love that we share, the home that we've made, the school that we've built together, and the family we've created with these children. And nothing can tell me that it isn't. And absolutely nothing can stop me from being your husband, not a piece of paper or a social convention.’

Raven has seen Erik over the twenty-six years they've lived under the same roof now. With his dry humour, resting bitch face and shark like smiles, she'll admit that he has reluctantly grown on all of them. But even after all these years, she hasn't gotten used to seeing Erik being tender with her brother. It's sweet and scary at the same time. Downright creepy.

What makes it even more so is that Charles isn't immune to it. Her brother turns into a puddle of goo on being the victim of Lehnsherr’s heartfelt confessions. Even now, Raven can see the moisture in Charles’ eyes and the smile he's hiding behind his defiant front.

'That still doesn't change the fact that our marriage isn't legally binding, Erik,’ Charles protests.

'In that case, we'll just marry again. That is, if you'll still have me as your husband for the rest of your life,’ Erik says simply.

Charles lets out a chuckle. ‘That was the most unimaginative marriage proposal ever. But, yes, darling,’ he cups Erik's cheek fondly and blinks rapidly, 'I’ll marry you once again.’

They share a tender kiss.

'Why don’t we elope to Europe and get married there? I'm sure I'm a citizen of one of its countries,’ Erik tries as he straightens.

'No! No, Erik. We aren't eloping.’ Charles holds up a stern finger.

'Urgh, Charles, you're so boring. I'm already regretting proposing to you,’ Erik says wrinkling his nose, like one of the younger students forced to eat their greens.

Charles laughs out loudly throwing his head back. ‘If you think that's boring, wait till you see all the paperwork you'll have to fill to get a visa.’

Erik groans shaking his head. ‘It's proven. Marrying you has been one of the biggest mistakes of my life.’

Charles giggles at Erik's theatrics. 'Come on, old man,’ he says fondly, holding out his hand for Erik. 'Let’s talk to my Lawyers and see what we can do.’

The two of them leave the kitchen hand in hand, leaving Raven and the boys in silence.

It's Sean who breaks it. ‘Are you sure,’ he asks leaning towards Raven, ‘that your brother is the same guy who's an omega level telepath with three PhDs contending for this year's Nobel?’

Raven chews on Sean's words, then shrugs it off as a moot cause. 'Well, none of those guarantee to give you common sense.’

‘No, it doesn't.’

They go back to their lunches agreeing on it.

-

**Author's Note:**

> P.S: I don't know how Health Insurance Schemes work elsewhere, but generally, the spouse and kids are covered. So I just went with that...
> 
> Thank you for reading!! :D  
> Also, [JackyJango](https://jackyjango.tumblr.com) on Tumblr!


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